Ethiopian Orthodox church opens its forests to faith leaders

Ethiopian Orthodox church opens its forests to faith leaders

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Thu, 10/29/2026 - 14:26

In Ethiopia, much of what is left of the native highland forest stands around churches. Organizers of the new Church Forest Academy count about 35,000 church forests, from one hectare to 19,000 hectares in size. From 27 October to 3 November, faith leaders and practitioners from Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, and Nigeria are learning how these forests survived. They are also exploring how the same care can restore tree cover in their own communities.

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Church Forest Academy field visit.

Photo: EOC-DICAC

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, a World Council of Churches member church, launched the Academy on 26 October in Addis Ababa. It works through its Development and Inter-Church Aid Commission, together with OikoDiplomatique, a consultancy based in Nairobi, Kenya. Bread for the World (Germany) and private philanthropy fund the course.

Prof. Abba Hailegebriel Girma, academic vice president of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Holy Trinity University, declared the academy open on behalf of the church. Clergy and…